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Saturday, February 11, 2012

Sewing with Silhouette Cameo

A few weeks ago I splurged and bought myself a new gadget! It's a Silhouette Cameo! I have been researching and reading all I could about them and decided I just HAD to have one! Since sewing is my first and foremost favorite hobby, my goal was to be able to cut fabric with it. My niece sent me a photo-text the other day with an adorable key chain and asked if I could make one. That inspired me to do some experimenting!

I am so pleased with the results of my experiment, that I decided to share a tutorial on how to make it! A Silhouette Cameo makes it so quick and easy, but if you don't have one, you can still make this cute key chain. My tutorial tho, will show how to make it using the Silhouette Cameo.

I LOVE the software that comes with the SC - very easy to learn! I imported the shape I wanted my key chain to be, and since I needed one for the top and one for the bottom, I duplicated the shape.

I chose two scraps of fabric and ironed them down on Heat 'n Bond lite.

I then peeled away the paper from the back of the fabric. This leaves a rubbery back to the fabric, which is an adhesive when I iron it later.

I placed the two scraps of Heat 'n Bond backed fabric to my cutting mat.

Then loaded it in the Silhouette Cameo and started cutting.

When the machine finished cutting, I peeled away the fabric!

Here is the top and bottom pieces to my Key Chain!

I went back to my software and created an "L", choosing a nice

fat font. I first made sure that the L would fit in the scalloped

circle, then removed the circle and sent the L to the Silhouette Cameo.

Using felt, I ironed Heat 'n Bond lite to the back and peeled away the paper.

I positioned the felt to the cutting mat

...and loaded it in the Silhouette Cameo! Since this is felt,

I had to set the cutting blade to #10 and had it run 2 passes.

Once it finished cutting, I peeled the excess felt away

...and now I have a perfect letter "L"!

Now it's time to head to the sewing machine!

I wanted another piece of felt between the two printed fabrics. Note: I could have cut another scallop circle out of the pink felt, but truth is, I got tired of running up and down the stairs because I was working in two different rooms on this project - remember this was just an experiment! It actually did make it easier sewing with the pink felt being left in a square tho.

I ironed the scallop circle and the "L" to the felt to secure.

I chose a thread color

...and set my machine to stitch a triple stitch.

I stitched just inside the "L" all the way around the letter.

The "L" is completed!

Now it's time to trim away the excess pink felt,

following the scallop all the way around.

I cut about a 4" length of Grosgrain ribbon,

which is to loop around the key chain.

Fold the ribbon in half and sandwich it between

the layers. Make sure the bottom layer has the

Heat 'n Bond lite side up.

Press all layers together with iron.

Head back to the sewing machine and using the

triple stitch, stitch all the way around the scalloped

circle, following the scallops.

Completed Key Chain! Now wasn't that easy?!

I LOVE my Silhouette Cameo and I am looking forward to experimenting with it for machine applique!

35 comments:

OMG! I want one, too! Ever since I saw Mary Corbet's review I've sort of wanted one, but your post has put me over the edge! So I think that if I clean my sewing space so that it is so not like a hurricane disaster center, I will treat myself to one. Darling key chain, maybe you could make an extra w/ a C? :)

I love this! I as well have a cameo and looove it dearly, I have been wandering about the felt I know felt has many fibers did it get stuck in your blade housing at all? Thanks for the awesome tutorial, I will be attempting as soon as I get some felt sheets!

I run a group on FB, largest group on FB for all cameo/SD users and you should come join in! www.facebook.com/groups/allthingsSILHOUETTE

Great tutorial. I got my Cameo for applique cutting but haven't tried it on fabric yet. I've been curious about how it would cut felt. Also thinking about using it to cut Oil Cloth & Laminated Cotton. I did get an extra blade which I plan to use for fabric only. Just curious - did you try upping the "thickness" setting at lower blade settings for the felt?

Loved this! Thank you so much. I just recently purchased an SC too - and love it. I was so happy to see your tutorial tho - because I'm a quilter and hoped to use it for applique techniques as well! Thank you!

Wow, thanks for sharing! Didn't know that it would be able to cut FELT too (my *other* cutter isn't able to do that) ! Thought it might be to "stringy", but it cut out the letter "L" so cleanly! So excited to try it when I have time!!!

Just got mine, mostly for similar purposes. Now to make space for Cameo and computer. Almost wish I had SD to avoid computer space in there. So glad to see you used felt. Plan on making felt food when LO is older.

I finally got around to doing this today, and loved it! How easy the silhouette made it. I did a trial run, but will for sure be making a few more. I had tried a few times to cut fabric and was finally successful! Thanks for the awesome tutorial!